Midnapore: A local court has fixed July 5 as the next date of the Benachapra skeleton case, in which former CPI-M minister Sushanta Ghosh is the key accused. Ghosh and two other accused were produced before the court in West Midnapore district but since two more accused were ill and could not be produced, the next date of hearing was fixed on July 5.

Ghosh is currently on bail granted by the Supreme Court. A total of 58 CPI(M) activists, including former Minister Sushanta Ghosh are accused in the Benachapra skeleton recovery case.

At least seven Trinamool Congress workers were killed and then buried in a graveyard on 22 September, 2002. Seven skeletons were dug up from a pit near Ghosh's ancestral house in Benachapra village in West Midnapore on June 22 last year.

He was arrested on August 11 last year based on the FIR lodged with Anandapur police station by Shymal Acharya who claimed one of the skeletons was that of his father Ajay Acharya.